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Your Top Two, Number-One Priorities
Last week, I suggested that Republicans should identify a short list of easy, low-risk, political victories with a mind toward establishing credibility and gaining momentum toward bigger, riskier, more important projects. That begs the question of what those bigger priorities should be, and that makes for some difficult decision making. As my dad’s former boss, Director of Central Intelligence Bill Casey, once explained to him:
If you’re brilliant, you can accomplish one thing. If you’re a genius you can accomplish two. The trick is to figure out the two things you want to get done, forget everything else, and be willing to take the beating you’ll get when everyone complains about all the things you didn’t get done.
So, Ricochetti, what are the two policy priorities the Republicans should pursue in 2017, should they win the presidency and hold congress? Bear in mind that we can only expect one of them to get done if the new president and congress are brilliant.
Choose wisely.
Image Credit: “William Casey” by Central Intelligence Agency – https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/books-and-monographs/directors-of-central-intelligence-as-leaders-of-the-u-s-intelligence-community/page150_preview.jpg. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Published in Domestic Policy, Foreign Policy, Politics
1) Completely repeal Obamacare.
2) Enforce immigration laws currently on the books to strengthen border security.
Can’t believe I failed to put this on my list, but I think I’m still in denial!
As to your second point, I’d vote to remove the incentives altogether to come here illegally- no long term employment, access to public schools, welfare benefits or free healthcare to those without a social security card. I’d rather spend taxpayer dollars eliminating the root cause of the problem.
Since you ask….
1. Cut the Federal Budget
I don’t mean this in the usual Washington-ese, where “cutting the budget” means a tiny reduction in the growth rate of spending. I mean CUT THE BUDGET! Every one of us has had to sharply reduce spending at some point in our lives, because we’ve lost a job or because of some huge unanticipated expense, for instance with our car or our house. Corporations cut their spending when the economy drops dead, or when some new technology wipes out the market for their product. It’s always miserable and painful, and you always have to eliminate things that are genuinely worthwhile — such as Junior’s piano lessons. Such is life…
Let the next president actually reduce Federal spending, no matter how painful it will be. My guess is that this will involve a huge cut in personnel. And those who keep their six-figure Federal jobs may have to work longer hours. If they don’t like it, they can quit. There’s no shortage of Americans who want these jobs and will do them well.
2. Eliminate ISIS
You don’t negotiate with cockroaches; you exterminate them. Let’s unleash the Armed Forces of the United States by changing the so-called Rules of Engagement that hold them back. The new Rules of Engagement will be: There are no Rules of Engagement. Kill the bastards, then come home in victory.
By the way, President Reagan was a “genius,” in Bill Casey’s meaning of the word. So he actually accomplished two things: He won the Cold War, and he ignited the greatest economic boom in American history.
…And that’s all he accomplished.
I believe that deserves an, “Amen!”
Can’t do better than this.
I do think we still need to consolidate Reagan’s victory over Communism by stamping out all forms of collectivism infesting our body politic, and our hemisphere.